Spring Magic Draw

Just in case you are wondering....only three people posted and got into the draw for a two hour clean....
and the winner is..
Sarah!
Congratulations Sarah, I know that you and your toilets will enjoy a few free hours!

Spring Cleaning Facelift

Since Friday, I have caught myself looking repeatedly into the mirror to examine my "new skin".
I paid good money for a microdermabrasion treatment, and it came complete with a paraffin treatment for my feet, a hand/arm massage, heated blankets, low lights and an hour of facial bliss. All I needed was a glass of red wine....

I felt guilty the whole time.

I should be working.
I should be at home with the kids.
I should not be paying for this.
I need to have a run today.
She is going to tell me my skin is terrible.

Where did that come from? Regular maintenance of my face is good health practice. Good mental health practise, that is. Why do I need to justify an hour of specialized cleaning?
Most of my clients don't, and they get more than one hour!
My lady cleansed and scrubbed and masqued and massaged....
I clean and scrub and polish and fluff...
If it's good for the house of brick and wood, it should be good for the house of flesh!

In the end, my skin was glowing. It was bright and blemish free and looked years younger. I still keep looking at it in the mirror. I have waited so long to reveal the natural beauty of my face...what was I waiting for?

Perhaps my heart is the same way. I wait a long time to spend some quality time with Christ, let him scrub and cleanse and polish and fluff. And not so that I look beautiful: He already thinks I am beautiful. So that I become more like him and reflect Him to the world.
Why do I wait so long?
Time with Christ reveals the true beauty of my heart.

I can always use a little more true beauty.
Love, Forgiveness, Patience, Kindness.....

Christ is keeping me going today. What is keeping you going?

Black Market Bartering

Ever want something but don't want to pay for it?
I got our dog for a couple of sessions of housecleaning.....I always think that was a good deal; I didn't have to pay-they got clean toilets.
My sons will trade me gift cards from birthdays for cash, when they want something else. Apparently one of them got the app he wanted by giving his Dad the $5 Marble Slab gift card he received at a birthday party as a treat. Sweet! Those things are worth almost double...
Anyways, it got me thinking....what would you trade for something. Would you engage in what economists call Black Market Bartering in order to get something?
Here's what I would take instead of money for my services (seriously)
1 Hour:
6 dozen cookies (what? we eat a lot of cookies!)
A complete meal: meat, starch and veggies (I love meatloaf)
Any giftcard worth $25, especially if it is to a store that sells food, a restaurant, a kids clothing place, or the Dollarama
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles. 3 Garbage bags worth. Black garbage bags.
25 assorted chocolate bars
2 Hours:
12 dozen cookies
Any giftcard of $50 value (you know you can get them with Airmiles......)
One hour massage
One set of gel nails
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles

Anything else you can think of? I love to bargain, if you do, and want your house cleaned, you should call me.......maybe your Airmiles can get you an afternoon off....

No dogs though. I have two already. Maybe a lizard......

Sometimes a good deal keeps me going. What is keeping you going?